Mindful loving beauty

I’m a little late to the beauty subscription box scene but perhaps it had something to do with waiting for THAT special box. The one that really stands out from the rest. The one with a clear mission and vision. The one that has taken the extra step to research and fill a gap in the world of beauty subscription boxes. Well, I’m glad that I waited because Beauty Heroes ticks all the boxes (pun intended) in what I was hoping for in a monthly subscription.

For those not in the know and let’s rectify that quickly shall we, Beauty Heroes is a US beauty subscription service with the mission to Use Less and Love More. Totally in line with the idea of living a more sustainable and “green” life, it means decluttering and making room for one solid goodness at a time. In short, instead of serving up too-many-to-count samples (which, let’s face it, end up gathering dust somewhere more often than we’d like to admit) every month Beauty Heroes comes to the rescue with one full-size, yes FULL SIZE Hero product accompanied by a faithful yet equally heroic sidekick (often a deluxe size sample and sometimes even another full size! Insert ghost face emoji here, you know the one I mean!). What this does then is give you enough time to fully test a product to see if it suits your skin. I think we can all agree on the one thing samples don’t do (I’m talking itty bitty ones here) and that is give us an accurate feel for a product. Beauty Heroes has done away with any kind of doubt and provides you with a Hero that has been tested by a panel of beauty experts meaning there’s a higher chance of a product agreeing with your skin than not. Naturally, whether a product ends up working for you or not is quite subjective since we don’t all like the same smell, texture and consistency but the chances are still fairly high. And with a very reasonably price point of $39/month I’m willing to take the risk every time.

Another great aspect to the box is the detailed information enclosed every month, featuring the Hero product, how to best use it along with spa expert tips. If you’re new to the green beauty scene this box makes transitioning a walk in the park since each box also provides you with a pocket guide called “Ingredient Intelligence At Your Fingertips”; a very handy fold out in the size of a slightly bigger business card which easily fits into your wallet should you forget which villainous ingredients to avoid and which superpower ones to keep an extra eye out for. And should you have thrown yours out with the box by accident, don’t fret. You get one every month. End up collecting too many? Share them with friends! Another super cute item that is shipped with every box is the red mask. Those of you who follow me on Instagram may have seen Princess Saskia sport one every month and it’s now become a thing she does with her mummy…wonder if she will begin to recognise the Beauty Heroes box and think “uh oh, it’s that time of the month again”! Either way, it’s a much appreciated extra touch and apparently what Beauty Heroes had hoped for when they came up with the idea.

So now that we’ve got the box introduction out of the way let’s have a peek at what I’ve received so far. I was very generously sent a free trial in August (I had been lovingly nagging Beauty Heroes about when shipping would extend to Sweden and I guess my nagging got tiresome!) which included skincare from Previse, more specifically the Nutrify Tonic Level 1-6 (Hero product) and Defend Skin-Type 6 Serum (sidekick), together valued at a whopping $96 but getting it for $39! How is that for awesome value? You truly get a lot for your money with this subscription box and if you’re still not totally convinced then read on! I haven’t been able to incorporate these two products into my skincare routine as well as I would have liked but that is simply because I have an abundance of items at the moment and I’m not a fan of layering with abandon…even if that would solve my problem! I have recently added the Nutrify Tonic to my evening routine and I will have to report results in a few more weeks.

September’s box (bought and paid for by yours truly since I am now a devoted subscriber!) featured a darling in the green beauty world, namely Kahina Giving Beauty with the Hero product being the Eye Serum along with its sidekick, a travel-size of Kahina Facial Lotion (30ml, great size!). Now the eye serum, ladies and gents, is a product I have really fallen in love with. I didn’t actually own a separate eye product until this one and neither had I tried Kahina Giving Beauty before so this was to be an interesting dance indeed. I didn’t notice much difference in the first week or so but then it came, that moment when you realise that a product is working its magic. My fine lines which had slowly started becoming visible are less so and my eye area is constantly bright…to the point where I actually don’t use highlighter anymore (see this pic). If that isn’t testament to a hard-working eye serum then I don’t know what is! My eye area is also a lot smoother and softer to the touch and I rarely wake up with a haggard look…I attribute it all to this amazing eye serum containing argan oil (mais bien sur! Only the oil on which Kahina Giving Beauty is built!) and sodium hyaluronate and plant peptides to encourage collagen production which in turn gives us long-lasting moisture and a line-smoothing effect. As it says in the mini brochure, “You’ll see a difference”. Yes, ma’am! I honestly feel this eye serum deserves a post of its own so I shall keep this brief but suffice to say I love this product. As for the Kahina Facial Lotion, I’ve yet to try it as I’m using up another moisturiser first so that’s one I’ll have to come back to, but if anyone has been trialling it I would love to know your results in the comments. September’s box was valued at $100, another amazing deal.

As we rapidly head into the colder months, well at least here in Sweden, October brought with it a cashmere blanket in the name and form of In Fiore, a San Francisco brand launched in 1999 using “only pure plant oils and the finest floral essences”. The Hero product is the Treate Gentle Cleansing Emulsion, a lotion/milk consistency that glides on effortlessly and envelops you in olfactory delight. Used in combination with its sidekick, the Lustra Illuminating Cleansing Essence, your evening cleansing ritual will take you to heights you’ve never been to before…think decadence, think extravagance. In Fiore encourages a 10-minute massage ritual inspired by the way Asian women cleanse their skin and have called it the 4-2-4 sequence whereby you massage Lustra for 4 minutes, emulsify with Treate for 2 and then rinse your face with warm water for 2 minutes and another 2 minutes with cold water, really stimulating circulation and revitalizing your skin. I’ve done this twice since receiving October’s box (again, was using up another product thereby my lateness to the party!) and I can tell you what a divine sensory experience this is. A cashmere blanket cosseting your skin in the gentlest way but without losing any of its punch, this duo will leave your face cleansed! And oh so smooth and soft. This may be my favourite box yet! But I also love Kahina! Oh, so hard to choose! What I love the most? That I got to experience brands and products that may never have come across my radar in the first place because, let’s face it, there’s a lot out there that begs to be bought and tested! I will have to keep my thoughts on the In Fiore creations rather brief as I have just started using them but I’m loving them both so far. Oh and Lustra? Smells like you’ve drenched your skin in jasmine tea. Just sayin’.

If you’re still with me, well done! My reviews do tend towards the lengthy side so if you’ve stuck with me, here’s a medal! Joke aside, if you’re not already itching to subscribe to Beauty Heroes, well, I’ve failed! For $39 you get an amazing deal (+ $12.95 shipping to Sweden) and as a member you always have 15% off in their shop. They currently ship to Canada, Australia, France, Portugal, Sweden, Norway, The Netherlands, UK, Germany, Italy, India, Singapore, South Africa, Israel and the Russian Federation for a reasonable flat shipping rate (more info here) and they keep expanding all the time so stay tuned.